The Salah situation
Last year Salah was quoted:
“I told him (Slot), ‘As long as you rest me defensively, I will provide offensively.’
Try to rest me as much as you can, then I will show you the numbers. So I’m glad that I did.”
And it worked. In a record breaking season, Salah spearheaded Liverpool to the title.
The simple fact is that in the same role this season, he has failed to deliver, and it has been exploited.
Cucurella’s quotes following the Chelsea win, where he set up the winner:
“We know that [Mohamed] Salah is always ready for the counterattack, so we practised that and the manager said that the space might be there.
We saw that it was the last minute, but we kept attacking. I tried to give my last effort, Enzo gave me the ball, and I crossed for Estevao.”
There are multiple reasons behind Liverpool’s form, and Salah’s form and positioning are part of it.
While Salah feels like he has been thrown under the bus, it is worth noting that Wirtz, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Isak and Gakpo have all been dropped due to form. I would even have expected Konaté and Gravenberch to have had time on the bench, but the lack of depth in those positions has kept them in the team, especially Konaté.
Now, we do not know the extent of conversations that have happened behind closed doors. How has Slot dealt with a senior pro who has given so much to the club
Whatever has been said or not said away from matchdays seems to have irked Salah. He does deserve respect on this front and the man management of dropping a player of his stature needs to be handled delicately. We simply do not know the situation here.
The post game Salah interview is disrespectful to the football club. Salah has made a clear intention to let everyone know how he feels, with little regard for his teammates, staff and the club. He has put himself above the football club.
The counter argument is that this is a player who has got to where he is because of this attitude. The relentless need to rack up the highest individual numbers, questioning the manager about defending less, sulking when he is brought off. He is a superstar, and it has benefited Liverpool. He is selfish, and I say that as a strength, but with that attitude, which makes him great, comes a burden for any manager leaving him out. A fallout was always going to happen one day when he was inevitably dropped.
“The club promised in the summer, a lot of promise for me, and so far I am on the bench for three games. All I can say is keep the promises.”
This quote baffles me. What promises could have been made?
“You will play every week” he has.
“You will be given the same attacking role” he has had that.
“You will never be dropped” I highly doubt that conversation ever happened.
I am at a loss for what promises Salah thinks were made.
“I don’t have to fight every day for my position because I earn it. I earned my position.”
Reading between the lines, he has been told, maybe by the manager, maybe by players or the hierarchy, to keep his head down, work hard in training, and he will be back in the team. This is where there is entitlement in my opinion. It does not sit right that he feels he does not have to fight for his place. Football moves fast. Earning a position in the team is an ever changing landscape, game after game, week after week, day after day.
He should not, in my opinion, have done this interview. At a time when the team and manager are vulnerable, he has used the situation to heap pressure on both, in an attempt to let the fans know his anger. There is no benefit to anyone at the football club with this interview.
I consider myself lucky to have had you as a teammate and friend. You were always very real and brought so much good energy wherever you went.
You made us laugh and showed heart in everything you did.
You will be missed and I wish you the best in your new club.